Pedro Martinez lights up Red Sox

Former star returns to tutor young arms

Credit: Matthew West

HE’S BACK: Pedro Martinez meets the press yesterday after being named a special assistant to Sox general manager Ben Cherington.

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In his new role with the Red Sox, Pedro Martinez will act as a mentor to impressionable pitchers, a spring training instructor, even a confidante for general manager Ben Cherington.

Just don’t expect him to pitch.

“No, no, don’t even think about me coming back,” Martinez, 41, said yesterday, flashing a megawatt smile. “No, no, I don’t think so. Those three years, four years, that I’ve been (retired) made it clear that I don’t belong in the field anymore.”

Except, of course, over the next two months.

While the Red Sox are working out in Fort Myers, Martinez will be there, returning as a special assistant, a role that may be undefined but hardly is ceremonial. Like former catcher Jason Varitek, appointed as a special assistant in September, Pedro participated in organizational meetings this week at the Westin Copley and will attend spring training.

And while he’s expected to advise Cherington in matters of player evaluation, Martinez also will put on a uniform and assist pitching coaches at both the major and minor league levels, bringing the knowledge and reputation of a three-time Cy Young Award winner who racked up 117 wins and a 2.52 ERA in seven seasons with the Red Sox and is every bit as cerebral as he is talented.

In short, he hopes to teach Sox pitchers a few new tricks.

“They’re all young enough to listen to the old goat,” said Martinez, who retired after pitching for the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2009 World Series. “I see them as teammates. I see them as friends. I see them as players that can probably get some advice from an old goat like me.”

Martinez already is acquainted with pitching prospect Rubby De La Rosa, a family friend whose grandmother was Martinez’ nanny. A few years ago, Martinez said he even shared secrets to throwing his signature changeup, a pitch De La Rosa believes will serve him well in the majors.

“Mentally, you know that everybody is not going to be at your level and everybody is unique,” Martinez said. “I’m not going to force them to be like me. It’s impossible to be me. It’s impossible to be Roger (Clemens). But you can also pick and choose some of the things that you can help them with and hopefully help out.”

When he attended David Ortiz’ charity golf event last month in the Dominican Republic, Martinez said it was “only a matter of time” before he reunited with the Red Sox. In fact, it already had been in the works for several months.

Martinez made several visits to Fenway Park last year to participate in the ballpark’s 100th anniversary festivities, making a point each time to talk with Cherington about what was becoming an increasingly nightmarish season that resulted in 93 losses, the firing of manager Bobby Valentine and a third consecutive year without playoffs.

“I could sense there was something missing,” Martinez said. “Something missing in the clubhouse, something missing in the players, something missing in the front office. The players realize they lost a little bit. The front office realizes that they lost something.”

And perhaps that is where Martinez fits.

As a future Hall of Famer, to say nothing of a link to the Red Sox’ 2004 World Series championship team, he brings a winning personality back to an organization that has lost its way, regardless of his job description. New manager John Farrell calls Martinez’ influence “infectious” and hopes it will trickle down to young players who haven’t already had the opportunity to be around him.

“It probably means he has to be on time now,” former Red Sox manager Terry Francona joked. “I’ll tell you what, if you want to get input on how to pitch, you can’t go to a smarter guy. I think it’s great. I think it’s a good fit.

“Once you start bringing guys back like Varitek and Pedro, they are the Red Sox. I think it’s terrific.”